List of The Venture Bros. characters
This is a list of main and recurring fictional characters and organizations from ''The Venture Bros., the Adult Swim/Cartoon Network comic science fiction series. :†''Character is deceased Team Venture Team Venture composes the central characters in the show; they live in a fortified compound in an undisclosed location somewhere in the United States. The compound doubles as the headquarters for Dr. Venture's company, Venture Industries. * Henry Allen "Hank" Venture (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): A teenage boy, one-half of the eponymous pairing. Hank is a combination of Joe Hardy, Jonny Quest and Fred Jones of Scooby Doo fame. He tends to be more athletic and better at disguises than his brother. He is always up for adventures and solving mysteries, but can be rather naïve, and his impulsiveness frequently gets him into trouble. * Dean Venture (voiced by Michael Sinterniklaas): A teenage boy, the second half of the eponymous pairing. Dean is timid, selfless, and more "bookish" than Hank. He is a combination of Frank Hardy, Peter Parker from Spider-Man (in fact, he wears Spider-Man pajamas in several episodes) and a stereotypical boy from the 1950s (e.g. Henry Huggins). He has an obvious crush on Triana Orpheus. * Dr. Thaddeus S. "Rusty" Venture (voiced by James Urbaniak): Father of the Venture twins. He constantly lives in the shadow of his famous father Dr. Jonas Venture, from whom he inherited Venture Industries. There is some question as to his actual degree of ability in the nebulously defined field of "super-science." While Dr. Venture desperately wishes to emerge from his father's shadow, ultimately his knack for cutting corners proves his undoing, with his shoddy attempts at genuine technological innovation typically resulting in utter debacle (serving as the premise for several episodes). The doctor seems to dislike his sons; it is somewhat unclear whether he actually cares for them at all. However, he keeps cloning them and has not tried to cash in on the process, which suggests more than scientific curiosity. * Brock Samson (voiced by Patrick Warburton): Though not related to the Ventures per se, Brock is the bodyguard of the Venture family and an agent with the Office of Secret Intelligence. As a "Super Secret Agent," he has a license to kill and an amazing zeal to use it. His background has been revealed to be "half Swedish, quarter Polish, quarter Winnebaego". Though Brock usually displays a relaxed and casual attitude, his temper can cause him to snap into psychotic violence at the slightest provocation. His ability to dispense punishment is equaled by his ability to sustain it, to the point that he is seemingly unkillable. He also has a superhuman sexual appetite, with conquests ranging from beauty queens to sleazy strippers to "the Queen of the Ant People." He is extremely loyal to the Venture family, actually living with them in the compound, and now seems to serve as a bit of a mentor for the boys, with whom he shares an avuncular relationship. * H.E.L.P.eR. (voiced by "Soul-Bot"): The Venture family's personal helper robot. H.E.L.P.eR. is an acronym for Humanoid Electric Lab Partner Robot. He was created by Dr. Jonas Venture to look after his son Rusty, but now assists Brock in looking after Dean and Hank. He does not speak, but rather communicates via electronic beeps that are more or less understood by the Venture clan. Though he has very sensitive feelings, the Ventures often treat him like an old appliance or pet. Friends of Venture * Dr. Jonas Venture, Jr., also known as J.J. (voiced by James Urbaniak): Dr. Venture's deformed twin, who was absorbed by Rusty in the womb. Until the first season finale, he appeared only in Dr. Venture's nightmares. He was freed from Rusty's body via surgery after being mistaken for a tumor. Desperate to claim the life that was stolen from him, he tried to murder Dr. Venture using a giant mechanical suit that he made out of household items. Though he has the body of an infant, his head has matured to an adult appearance and bears a striking resemblance to that of his father. He also seems to have inherited his father's brilliance, unlike Thaddeus, as he earned two doctorates within the period of a month (the amount of time Thaddeus had spent escaping his former life). By the end of the first season, Thaddeus has agreed to share his Venture birthright with his brother. Jonas Jr. appears to be everything his brother is not: scientifically astute, hard-working, attractive to women, about two feet tall, and the possessor of a full head of hair. * Triana Orpheus (voiced by Lisa Hammer): Dr. Orpheus's 17-year-old quasi-goth daughter. She has purple hair, and is fairly friendly with the Venture Boys. She is possibly the most down-to-earth character on the show, despite her father's tendency to dramatize. She takes an interest in kitsch. It is unclear whether she knows about Dean Venture's crush on her, or whether she feels the same towards him. * Pete White (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): An albino computer scientist and co-founder of Conjectural Technologies. He went to college with Venture and Ünderbheit where he hosted a New Wave radio show called "The White Room." Like Venture and Quizboy, White tends to be somewhat lazy and half-hearted in his efforts. On occasion, characters refers to him as "the gay albino", although it is unlikely that he is really gay. * Master Billy Quizboy (voiced by Doc Hammer): A self-proclaimed "boy genius," Quizboy is actually an adult with a speech impediment and growth hormone deficiency. He is a neurogeneticist and co-founder of Conjectural Technologies. He suffers from hydrocephalus, although his intellect seems to be unaffected by this condition. He has a bionic hand and wears an eyepatch over one eye, which are the unspecified result of a heavily rumored incident that also left Phantom Limb without his appendages, although Billy seems to have no memory of the incident. He is a virgin as revealed during a conversation with Pete White and Dr. Venture. * The Pirate Captain (real name unknown) (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): The leader of the "ghost pirates" in the episode "Ghosts of the Sargasso". After his initial encounter with the Venture family, he began living on the X-2 after having difficulties in finding a job. When Jonas Jr. acquired the ship, he hired the captain. He has not been referred to by any name or nickname other than "The Captain" so far. The Order of the Triad * Dr. Byron Orpheus (voiced by Steven Rattazzi): An expert necromancer and mystic who rents a portion of the Venture Compound and is friendly with Dr. Venture. Along with Brock, he is the only associate of Dr. Venture who displays any sort of competence, although his pomposity tends to detract from his abilities. His is a parody of vintage comic book magic-users such as Doctor Strange and the even older (and cornier) Mandrake the Magician. His face and hair are similar to those of Vincent Price. He has been confused for Dracula a number of times. His speech is filled with overly dramatic phrases, delivered in a theatrically grandiose voice with extreme emphasis on mundane topics, usually over a background of ominous trumpet-laden music. After witnessing Dr. Venture's various enemies, he develops a fervent desire for an archnemesis of his own. He is fiercely protective of the twin boys. * Jefferson Twilight (voiced by Charles Parnell): An old friend of Dr. Orpheus. He is a black man who fights blaculas for a living and wields two swords. He is a pastiche of the superhero Blade and the blaxploitation movie protagonist, Shaft. His look and voice are also heavily based on Samuel L. Jackson. As a play on Blade's half-vampire thirst for blood or an artificial replacement, Jefferson Twilight suffers from diabetes and low blood-sugar, leading him to heavily thirst for sugared liquids, such as Nik-L-Nips. * The Alchemist (voiced by Dana Snyder): Another old friend of Dr. Orpheus, he is an unnamed alchemist who is searching for the philosopher's stone ("as a metaphor for enlightenment") as well as a cure for AIDS. Unlike Twilight and Orpheus, it would seem that he is much less serious about his business and would rather mix business with pleasure; however, his true opinion on the Triad was revealed in the episode Showdown at Cremation Creek, where he stated that he was more into helping the balance of the Universe than running around fighting one Super-Villain. It has been openly acknowledged that he is gay. Original Team Venture * Dr. Jonas Venture, Sr.† (voiced by Paul Boocock): Deceased father of Dr. Thaddeus Venture and Jonas Junior, seen in dreams, hallucinations, old videotapes, and flashbacks. He was the foremost scientist and adventurer in the world of his time. He created what is now known as Venture Industries and led the original Team Venture. His character is based on Doc Savage and Dr. Benton Quest. * The Action Man, whose real name is Rodney (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Retired member of the original Team Venture. He is an all-American supersoldier reminiscent of a B-grade Nick Fury, though his costume evokes elements of a vintage Captain America. Since his retirement, he has become a crotchety old man with flatulence problems. He married Major Tom's widow, Jeannie, after Tom's tragic accident. It was implied in the episode "Ghosts Of the Sargasso" that he cheated with Genie before Tom's death (in a deleted scene from "Past Tense," Otto Aquarius directly refers to him as an adulterer); Tom himself bitterly remarks in the same Episode, "I'm Happy, Hope You're Happy Too", implying that he knew about and accepted the affair. Dr. Orpheus predicted that Action Man would have a fatal stroke two years and seventeen days after an accidental confrontation. The Action Man gets his name from the David Bowie song "Ashes to Ashes", which functioned as a follow-up to "Space Oddity", which introduced "Major Tom". * Colonel Horace Gentleman† (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Retired member of the original Team Venture and later ersatz leader of the reformed Team Venture. He is a British gentleman and adventurer in the vein of Allan Quatermain and James Bond. The influence is apparent in the similarity of his voice to that of Sean Connery, who has played both characters in movies. He dresses in an old-fashioned British suit, complete with cane. It is briefly implied that he is a pederast and was later confirmed by the creators.Season 2 DVD commentary for "Powerless in the Face of Death" In the second season, Hank and Dean find him dead of unspecified causes. Apparently had a penchant for writing out random lists in his notebook such as "Toys Colonel Gentleman Wishes He Had When He Was a Lad but They Weren't Invented Yet." A deleted scene from the episode expands this list, and adds others. * Kano (unvoiced): Retired member of the original Team Venture. He is a master of the martial arts and an accomplished pilot. He never speaks, and only communicates by way of origami and sparse gestures. As Col. Gentleman describes him, his hands are "powerful enough to crush a boulder, yet delicate enough to crush a butterfly." Although not a villain, his silent demeanor, fighting skills and brute strength all correspond with the bodyguard/henchman archetype found in many works of fiction, with particular similarities to Oddjob. Although a hulking, powerful fighter, he is still no match for Brock Samson, at least in his old age. In addition to his skill in fighting and origami, Kano also appears to be a capable aircraft pilot ("despite his racial handicap," according to Col. Gentleman). * Otto Aquarius (voiced by T. Ryder Smith): Retired member of the original Team Venture. An exiled son of Atlantis, he is half-human and half-Atlantean, which grants him a greatly extended life-span. Most recently, he has converted to either The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (according to the special features section of the Season 1 DVD) or the Jehovah's Witnesses (according to Jackson Publick's blog), though his bizarre appearance often sabotages his attempts at evangelism. Due to his newfound faith, he is now a pacifist, limiting his usefulness to the reformed Team Venture. In a deleted scene, he refuses to work alongside Kano, Col. Gentleman, and the Action Man, accusing them of being, "an idolater, a sodomite, and an adulterer" respectively; he goes on to explain that the only reason he went in the first place was to accumulate missionary hours. He is a parody of Sub-Mariner and, to a lesser degree, Aquaman and Abe Sapien of Hellboy fame. Archvillains and henchmen | ]] * The Monarch (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Dr. Venture's self-styled archnemesis. He is obsessed with Monarch butterflies, which he claims raised him as a child. In fact, he only spent a few months unsuccessfully imitating them before returning to the city, and still seems to have almost no understanding of their biology or behavior. Though he frequently describes himself as Dr. Venture's nemesis, their rivalry resides almost completely in the Monarch's imagination. In reality, Dr. Venture considers him more a nuisance than a genuine threat. His plans against the Venture family are usually bizarre and fail for a number of sad reasons. At the end of season one, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to prison after being framed by the Phantom Limb. However, in the second season, he escaped and began to rebuild his criminal operation, being reunited with Dr. Girlfriend in the process and eventually marrying her. ** Henchman 21, whose real name is Gary (voiced by Doc Hammer): An overweight pop-culture geek who lives with his mother. He is always accompanied by Henchman 24. Wrote (or at least provided the cover-photo for) "Flight of the Monarch", a tell-all that starts the chain of events ending in the Monarch's incarceration. In the first episode of season two, being without costume for the first time, he is described by 24 as resembling Kevin Smith. He briefly toyed with the idea of becoming a supervillain himself, "the Viceroy." He claims that he joined the world of henching when he was kidnapped by The Monarch's henchmen when he was 15. When not henching, Number 21 runs a comic book hotline, the "Atomic Comic Collection Connection" from his bedroom. ** Henchman 24, (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): a tall, thin man with voice characteristics resembling comic Ray Romano. He and Henchman 21 frequently have arguments about unusual hypothetical situations. Is described by 21 in the first episode of the second season as resembling Jerry Seinfeld with a unibrow. He tends to repeat words that are dirty or have a double entendre like "loin" and "jerkin". Number 24's powder blue Nissan Stanza becomes the replacement Monarch Mobile after the Monach's lair is destroyed but is promptly stolen by a fleeing prostitute. * Doctor Girlfriend (voiced by Doc Hammer): Former girlfriend and assistant to the Monarch. She bears a remarkable similarity to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and shares her New England accent. Her comically deep voice (the character is voiced by a man) is a parody of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis' relatively low voice for a woman, and at one point the creators claimed that they originally imagined her as sounding like actor Harvey Fierstein. Rumors that she is a transsexual have been dispelled as a red herring. After being thrown out by the Monarch, she moved back in with Phantom Limb, although she was torn between the two. She now may be married to the Monarch although it remains unclear, as the ceremony was interrupted. * Baron Werner Ünderbheit (voiced by T. Ryder Smith): A noted member of the Guild of Calamitous Intent and former tyrant dictator of Ünderland. He wears a prosthetic metal jaw and speaks in a thick, pseudo-German accent. He blames Dr. Venture for the loss of his jaw; as he says, "In my country, a lab-partnership is a sacred trust. One is always supposed to look out for one's lab-partner! Venture...did not" Baron Ünderbheit is a parody of Doctor Doom and has been jokingly identified as such in the context of show (e.g. The Monarch referred to him as "that dime store Doctor Doom"). Ünderland is a sovereign nation that shares a border with Michigan, but its exact location has not been revealed. It is either an enclave within Michigan entirely, or an enclave within the United States that shares a border with Michigan and one or more other states and/or Great Lakes. Depending on Ünderland's exact size (Brock Samson has described it as "smaller than Delaware"), shape, and location, it could feasibly stretch into Canadian waters, or even border Canada itself. ** Manservant (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Baron Ünderbheit's long-time personal servant, given to him as a birthday present from his mother while he was in college. He is so completely devoted to Ünderbheit that he almost seems to have no will of his own; he speaks in a zombie-like monotone somewhat reminiscent of Peter Lorre, and always appears to be staring into space. His fate after the deposition of Baron Ünderbheit is unknown. * Phantom Limb (voiced by James Urbaniak): A villain with invisible arms and legs. He is arguably the most competent villain seen thus far in the Venture Brothers universe, although he seems largely indifferent to the Ventures themselves. Although he is quite cunning and ruthless, he is also one of the more culturally refined characters in the show, judging from his interest in Persian rugs and fine cheeses. He framed the Monarch for murder and attempted to foil the Monarch's escape plot, ostensibly because he wants Dr. Girlfriend all to himself. It was later revealed in season 2 that the framing of the Monarch was simply part of a larger picture to lure out and kill The Sovereign/David Bowie and seize the leadership of the Guild of Calamitous Intent. At the end of season 2, he seems to have escaped, although minus one invisible leg (and perhaps another 'limb'). His name and invisible limbs are references to the phantom limb syndrome experienced by amputees. The name and purple costume are also references to the comic book and comic strip hero The Phantom. Recurring and minor characters * Molotov Cocktease (voiced by Mia Barron): Brock Samson's sometimes-ally, sometimes-antagonist, and full-time love interest. Years ago she killed his partner, and he killed her father and took out her left eye. Despite their history she holds Brock in very high regard and doesn't understand his loyalty nor obedience to the Ventures. She is an ex-Soviet agent, now making her living as a mercenary. She shares a somewhat sadomasochistic relationship with Brock. Unfortunately for him, she wears a chastity belt bearing a Soviet hammer and sickle mentioning that "it is always cold in Siberia" to Brock's exclaimation of "I thought the Cold War was over!", so their relationship can never be consummated. Her name is a pun combining "Molotov cocktail" with "cock tease" (referring primarily to her chastity belt). In some Venture Bros. related artwork, her last name is spelled "Coqtiz," though "Cocktease" seems to be the official spelling. * Col. Bud Manstrong (voiced by Terrence Fleming): Until recently, with the late Anna Baldovitch, was the leader of the two man crew of the abandoned space station, "Gargantua-1". He is a very repressed individual who cowers under the will of his inebriated mother and his severely old-fashioned attitudes towards sex brought tremendous strain on the relationship between him and Baldovitch, especially when Brock Samson ended up in the middle of things. After Gargantua-1 crashed on a wanted terrorist, Manstrong is treated as a hero and was offered the vice-presidency, which he turned down in horror upon learning of the president's indiscretions. Alternates between immaturity and sheer denial when confronted with sex and anything remotely unpleasant. * Watch and Ward (voiced by Christopher McCulloch and Doc Hammer respectively): Two Guild operatives who work directly with Phantom Limb. They frequently engage in petty arguments that are based on actual conversations between the show's creators. Their names may derive from the Watch and Ward Society. * Col. Hunter Gathers (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Brock's former mentor from when he was in training for the OSI. He has since gone into hiding after having a sex-change operation. He appears to be a reference to Hunter S. Thompson and his name a play on the term Hunter-gatherer. * Kim (voiced by Nina Hellman): Triana's friend, whose fashion sense causes several people to assume that she is a supervillain. She develops a true interest in supervillainy after an encounter with Dr. Girlfriend. As a supervillain, she vows to make Hank and Dean her arch-enemies. * The Master (voiced by H. Jon Benjamin): a demonic presence who lives in a black void accessible through a portal in Triana's closet, he is Dr. Orpheus's old teacher and mentor to magic. With a much more laid-back personality than Orpheus, he often chides his student for being extremely uptight. Despite this, he has admitted that Orpheus is still his best student and seems to have a fondness for him, frequently letting Orpheus come to him for advice. He is never seen in a human form (it is questionable whether he even has a form of his own) but rather as various talking animals; notably Cerberus and the horse rumored to have squashed Catherine the Great. Perhaps more disturbingly, he is always partaking in some sort of sensual pleasure: when transformed into the horse, he is seen suspended by a pulley-system preparing to engage in sexual intercourse with a multi-headed doppleganger of Catherine the Great; when Cerberus, he performs autofellatio, commenting on the pleasure derived from the act. * Myra Brandish (voiced by Joanna Adler): Hank and Dean's possible biological mother. According to Brock, she was an American Gladiator under the name PowerKat. However, she claims to be a former OSI agent who guarded Venture in the same manner as Brock does except that Myra fell for Dr. Venture and after some aggressive, one-sided flirting on her part, they had a fling, resulting in Hank and Dean. Regardless of her true past, Dr. Venture has admitted to having sex with her. Unfortunately she went insane and has since become a recurring nuisance for Dr. Venture and Brock; she would periodically break out of the asylum and do something different based off whatever medication she is on; once burning down the compound. * General Manhowers (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Due to his high military rank, he is one Dr. Venture's main clients. Has ordered 100 Venturesteins and 100 Oo-rays for military use. Is apparently a General of the Air Force, though he refers to the Army in the pilot episode. This is perhaps due to his somewhat failing mental state, which causes him to go on long tirades about practically nothing. * The Sovereign / David Bowie (portrayed by Christopher McCulloch / voiced by James Urbaniak): The mysterious entity who runs the Guild of Calamitous Intent. He mostly communicates only through telescreens. He was invited to the Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend's wedding and gave away the bride. In a nod to his reputation as one of rock music's greatest chameleons, Bowie has the ability to shape-shift into anything from another human being to a cigarette. The Impossibles * Professor Richard Impossible (voiced by Stephen Colbert): Founder of Impossible Industries, a major government contractor, and former professor to Dr. Venture, Mr. White, and Billy Quizboy. He holds science and the pursuit of knowledge in a much higher regard than he does his wife or other people; at times this has manifested as homicidal ruthlessness though most of the time, he's simply out of touch. Impossible and his cohorts are a parody of the Fantastic Four: an experiment with cosmic radiation gave them each strange abilities (this parody is referenced explicitly in the episode "Love Bheits" when it is mentioned that the Impossibles beat the Ventures in a costume contest by dressing as the Fantastic Four). Richard can stretch his body like rubber, similar to Mister Fantastic, and seems to use this power to make himself appear taller. The other members of his family have useless parodies of the other members' powers. Jackson Publick's blog states that Mister Colbert neither has "the time nor the interest" to further voice Professor Impossible. * Sally Impossible (voiced by Mia Barron): Richard's wife. Has invisible skin which leaves her muscle tissue visible (which is significantly less useful than the abilities of the Invisible Woman) and she requires all her concentration to keep her skin visible. Sally developed, and still maintains, a crush on Dr. Venture, who was repelled when he discovered her condition. Richard has implied that she has been repeatedly unfaithful and that her newborn son might be fathered by someone else (this may have been Richard being very callous, and not a grounded accusation). Eventually, it came to the point where Richard was keeping Sally practically as a prisoner in their home and keeping her under constant guard, accurately suspecting that she wanted to run away from him. Sally is currently dating Jonas Venture Jr. and resides on Spider Skull Island with the rest of the Impossibles, sans Richard. * Rocket Impossible: Sally and Richard's newborn son. So far seems to lack any sort of super powers or genetic mutations. Perhaps a parody of Franklin Richards, son of Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman. Richard has previously voiced concerns that he may not be the father. * Ned (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Sally and Cody's mentally handicapped cousin. Has a pale orange, lumpy appearance. He is stronger than ordinary people, but not nearly as strong or impervious to harm as The Thing. He has been described as a "giant callus". * Cody (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): Sally's brother. Bursts into flames when exposed to oxygen. Unlike the Human Torch, he cannot control this very painful reaction, so he is kept in an air-tight container. As a result, he is usually in a state of unconsciousness. Ünderland * Girl Hitler (voiced by Mia Barron): Formerly one of Baron Ünderbheit's senior advisors, she (along with Catclops and Manic Eightball) was "executed" for betraying Ünderbheit's confidence, although all three survived. Since Baron Ünderbheit's removal from power, she has become Ünderland's president. As her name suggests, she resembles Adolf Hitler, complete with toothbrush moustache, which makes it a humorous irony that she now presides over a nation modeled after Germanic stereotypes. * Catclops (voiced by James Urbaniak): He has a cat's face in the center of his forehead, a tail protruding from the back of his head, and no visible human eyes, likely a reference to the Art Spiegelman comic "Maus". After their "execution" by tiger-bombs, he and Girl Hitler fled underground, where they led an ineffectual group of freedom fighters. After Ünderland's liberation, he proposed to Girl Hitler. A "Cat Clop" is an occasional slang for cat droppings. * Manic Eightball (unvoiced): He is a human with the powers of a magic 8-ball. He was "executed" by Baron Ünderbheit for treason along with Catclops and Girl Hitler. Despite surviving the combination of tiger attack and explosion, he was captured and remained a prisoner of Ünderbheit, who used his eight-ball power for advice. Lacking a mouth, he never speaks, instead using the 8-ball messages on his chest to answer yes or no questions. Imprisoned villains * King Gorilla (voiced by Christopher McCulloch): A talking, homosexual gorilla who befriended the Monarch while in jail. King Gorilla was a member of the Guild of Calamitous Intent until his imprisonment for brutal murder and rape (in that order) of Mötley Crüe lead singer Vince Neil during a reality TV show. Because of his high-profile crime, the Guild turned its back on King Gorilla and has led to the villain becoming bitter and cynical towards the Guild. After kidnapping and attempting to rape the Monarch, he was moved enough by the Monarch's quest to regain Dr. Girlfriend's love that he assisted in the fellow villain's escape from prison. His ability to talk and walk upright is not explained, and he has an obsession with Tarzan (Jackson Publick has suggested that he somehow houses and raises multiple Tarzans in his cell or the common area of the prison). King Gorilla is most likely is a parody of Monsieur Mallah (as they are both talking, homosexual gorillas) or possibly Gorilla Grodd from the Legion of Doom. * Tiny Joseph (voiced by Doc Hammer): Although he originally appeared as one of the Monarch's henchmen in "A Very Venture Christmas", he later appeared as the Monarch's cellmate. He is only a few inches tall. Organizations References See also * List of secondary characters from The Venture Bros. Category:The Venture Bros. characters Venture Bros.